Delay-action mechanism



20, 9 I J. R. c. QUILTER ,4

DELAY-ACTION MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1947 J31 we n Z07" e -Q iwm w x MAI Q a Q "m,

Patented Dec. 20, 1949 DELAY-ACTION MECHANISM John Raymond Cuthbert Quilter, Woking, England Application March 13, 1947, Serial No. 734,303 In Great Britain March 4, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 4, 1966 10 Claims.

This invention relates to delay-action mechanism applicable more especially to the release of parachutes in the dropping of loads from aircraft, the mechanism being then arranged to determine a suitable interval between the initiation of the releasing operation and the unlocking of the parachute pack, 50 that the opening of the parachute is retarded until the load has fallen clear of the aircraft.

The invention has for its main object the provision of improved means for engaging the delayaction mechanism with a member which is to be released for the unlocking of the parachute pack or other operation, such release being arranged to take place at the expiration of the period of delay.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the setting of the delayaction mechanism until the releasable member has been engaged.

A still further object is to provide means for locking the engagement of the releasable member by the action of setting the delay-action member.

A specific object of the invention is to provide the delay-action mechanism with a manually actuated latch for maintaining the releasable member in engaged position, and a stop which normally prevents the setting of the delay-action mechanism until the latch has been actuated to engage the releasable member, the actuation of the latch displacing the stop so that the setting action may be effected, and the setting movement in turn causing the stop to lock the latch in its actuated position with the releasable member enaged thereby.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a delay-action device mounted upon the cover flaps of a parachute pack, as described and illustrated in my U. S. Patent No. 2,387,350, issued Oct. 23, 1945.

Fig. 2 is a part-sectional elevation of an improved ,delay-acticn mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a side view Of the manually actuated latch.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of Fig. 2, showing the latch actuated to engage a pack-flap retaining loop.

Fig. 5 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of Fig. 2, showing the timing plunger in the reset position.

V Fig. 7 is a side .view corresponding to Fig. 6.

2 In my prior Patent No. 2,387,350, I have described a parachute pack for loads to be dropped from aircraft, provided with a delay-action device such as illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, which corresponds to Fig. 5 of the drawings to the said patent; in that device,

a wire loop l9 retaining the pack cover flaps I8 in closed position is passed through a slot 26 in the base plate 21 of the casing 3!! and engaged with the sliding plunger 29 of a clockwork mechanism, the movement of which is controlled by a rip cord wire 34 or equivalent restraining means.

In applying the present invention to that device. as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 7 of the accompanying drawings, the casing 30 of the sliding plunger 29 is arranged to house a stop member such as a steel ball 3 which normally engages with a shoulder 4 upon the plunger, preventing the latter from being forced out of the casing in order to reset the timing device by compression of the spring 3| coiled around its other end and enclosed in the removable thimble or cover 52; a latch member 6 slidable in the same casing under spring control and parallel to the plunger 29 is adapted to engage the pack-retaining loop [l9 and by the same movement to displace the ball 3 from its locking position against the shoulder 4. This displacement moves the ball into a recess 8 at the side of the casing, in order to allow the plunger spring to be compressed, after removal of the thimble 52, so that after the retaining loop I!) has been engaged by the latch ii the plunger can be forced out of the casing, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to the extent required for engaging the rip cord wire or restraining pin 34 in the selected perforation 33 of the plunger, according to the length of the timing or del-ay action period desired.

As shown in Fig. 3, the latch member 6 is provided with a flat stem which is notched at H to admit the ball 3, a knurled head or cranked extremity l2 to facilitate its manipulation, and a hook [3 adjacent to the head, this hook being adapted to engage the pack-retaining loop IS; the latter is passed through the slot 25 in the base plate 21, as described in my aforesaid patent, but is then caught by the hook l3 when the latch member is actuated, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, instead of being fitted over the end of the plunger 29 as in the arrangement described in that patent. At the other extremity of the latch member, the flat stem is continued by a rod 16 which slides in a guide hole 28 inside the casing, the tip of the rod engaging a spring 2i which tends to force the latch back after it has been manipulated.

When the rip cord wire or restraining pin 34 is withdrawn from the perforation 33 in the plunger, for example by the pull of the static line connected to the aircraft, the plunger 29 starts on the return movement under the driving force of its spring 3T controlled by the clockwork mechanism 2| enclosed in the casing; at the expiration of the predetermined delay-period, the

loop l9 so that the latter can slip through the-slot 26 and release the pack-retaining cover flaps.

The recess 8 in the side of the casing'maybe provided by forming in the wall an opening of sum'ci'ent sizeto a'dmit the ba'll 3, and securing a smallcoverplate ll' over. the" opening, this plate having on itsihner' face a circular boss with a central depressionor recess 8 of part-spherical shape to recei-v'e theportion of the balllprojecting through the notch 11 when the ball is displaced plunger aiter' the latch has been actuated ('s'e'eFig. 4

The stop member may alternatively consist of anyother sui'table membersuch as a cylindrical roller, theshape'=ofthe: recess 8 being modified accordingly. The dust-capes, which is *pivotally mounted at 3 on' tl'iei side of the casing under the control of a light spring, ispartly cut away, as shown attain Fig; '7 to provide-clearance fort-he latch e', while still-'being 'engaged by the extremity of the mnger'when the latter is reset.

A re'placeable index plate 32 may be attached to theto or the casing 3b" in' order to display the positions of the ,perfoi ationsss' with the different timings of the delay-action mechanism obtained byengafgement of the rip cord wire or restraining pin BA-in-the respective perforations.

lhe base plate 2 :may be provided with any convenient means for attachment to a support, such meansconsisti'n'g for example of two parallel slots 35, as shown in Eig. '2.

1:. A delay-a'cfiion mechanismcomprising a timing device; :a displaceable stop adapted in one position to prevent the setting of said timing device, a slidable latch co-o'perating with said StO'Efl-Ild a inen'iber releasable at the expiration of a period determi'ne'd by'saiid timingdevice, said latch being adapted for sliding movement to engage said releasable member and by the same movement to displacesaid stop from said one position preventing the setting of said timing device,

2. A delayaction mechanism comprising a tiin ing device, a displaceable stop adapted in one position to prevent the setting of said timing device, a slidable latch co-operating with said stop, and a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said timing device, said latch being adapted 'for sliding movement to engage said releasable member and by the same movement to displace said stop from said one position preventing the setting of said timing device, and said timing device being adapted in its setting movement to displace said stop to a osition where it looks said latch in engagement with said releasable member.

3. A delay-action mechanism comprising a timing device, a displaceable stop-adapted in one position to prevent the setting of said timing device, a slidable latch co-operating with said stop, and a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said timing device, said latch being adapted for sliding movement to engage said releas'able member and by the same movement to displace said stop from said one position preventing the setting of said timing device, and said timing device being adapted in its setting movement to displace said stop to a position where it locks said latch in engagement with said releasable member, said stop resuming its initial position clear of said latch at the end of the delayed return of said timing device.

4. A delay-action mechanism comprising a support, a spring-driven timing plunger slidable in said support, means for retarding movement of said plunger by its spring drive, a shoulder uponsaid plunger, a notched latch slidable in said support parallel to said plunger, and a stop mounted in th'en'otch of said latch and displaceable transversely m relation thereto, said stop in one extreme position ofsaid'l'atch e'ngag-ing'with said shoulder to preven'ts'ett'ingm'ovemen-t of said plunger, and the sliding movement of said latch from said extreme position displacing said stop to a position cl'e'ar ofsaidsh'oulde r.

5. A delay act'ion mechanism comprising a support, a spring-driven timing plunger slidable in said support, means for retarding movement of said plunger by its spring drive, a shoulder upon said plunger, a notched latch slidable in said support parallel to said plunger, a member releasable. at the expiration of a period determined by said plunger, and a stop mounted in the notch of said latch and displaceable tr-ans versely in relation 'theretofsaidstop in one extre'me position of said latch engaging with said shoulder to' prevent setting movementof said plunger, and the sliding movement of said latch from said extreme position engaging said-releasable member and at the same time displacing said stop to aposition clear of said shoulder.

6. A delay-action mechanism comprising "a support, a timingpl'un'ger slidablein said support, spring meansfor driving said plunger in one direction, means for retarding movement of said plunger by said spring driving'mearis, a shoulder upon said plunger, means for settingsaid plunger against the action of said spring driving means, withdrawa'ble means for holding said plunger in set position against the action of'said spring driving means, a stop adapted to engage said shoulder to prevent setting movement thereof, a member releasable at the expiration of a period'determined by the retarded movement of said plunger, and a latch slidable in said support parallel to said plunger, said latch including a hook for engaging said releasable member and being formed with a transverse guide for said stop, the sliding movement of said latch in a direction to cause its hook to engage said releasable member displacing said stop for movement transversely of said guide to a position clear of said shoulder whereby said plunger becomes free for setting against the action of said spring driving means, said holding means being engageable with said plungerin'set-position.

7. In a delay-action mechanism of the character set forth, comprising a tinii'ngplunger' and means for engaging a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said plunger; the combination with said plunger of a stop normally preventing its setting to a timing period, and a latch slidable toengage said releasable member, the actuation of said latch to engage said releasable member displacing said stop from its position preventing the setting of said plunger.

8. In a delay-action mechanism of the character set forth, comprising a timing plunger and means for engaging a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said plunger, the combination with said plunger of a stop normally preventing its setting to a timing period, and a latch slidable to engage said releasable member, the actuation of said latch to engage said releasable member displacing said stop from its position preventing the setting of said plunger, and the setting movement of said plunger causing said stop to lock said latch in its position of engagement with said releasable member.

9. In a delay-action mechanism of the character set forth, comprising a timing plunger and means for engaging a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said plunger,

the combination with said plunger of a stop normally preventing its setting to a timing period, and a latch slidable to engage said releasable member, said latch including a guide for said stop, the actuation of said latch to engage said releasable member causing said guide to displace said stop from its position preventing the setting of said plunger.

10. In a delay-action mechanism of the character set forth, comprising a timing plunger and means for engaging a member releasable at the expiration of a period determined by said plunger, the combination with said plunger of a stop normally preventing its setting to a timing period, and a latch slidable to engage said releasable member, said latch including a guide for said stop, the actuation of said latch to engage said releasable member causing said guide to displace said stop from its position preventing the setting of said plunger, and the setting movement of said plunger causing said stop to take up a position within said guide which locks said latch in its position of engagement with said releasable member.

JOHN RAYMOND CUTHBERT QUILTER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Holt Oct. 16. 1923 Number 

